Feeder for check-controlled apparatus.



F. W. ROLLAND.

FEEDER FOR CHECK CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1910.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

UNITED sTA'rns PATENT OFFICE.

FR DERICK w. RCLLAND, or CHICAeo, ILLINoIs, assIaNoR T0 HENRY GOETZ, or

I CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FEEDER-EonCHECK-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern} I 1 Be it known: that I, FREDERICK W. R01.-

' LAND, a citizen of the United States, resid- Oontrolled Apparatus, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The present invention 'has reference to improvements in feeders for check controlled apparatus, and more especially for such apparatus as is designed for operation only by a special form .of check or slug purchasable from a separate vending machine or froma duly authorized person. Devices of this general type. arev in frequent use at'tele- 'phone pay'stations, butsince they are attached directly to the instruments, which latter are usually located in closed booths, the insertion of the coin in the particular manner necessary in the feed slot, when demand is made therefor, is a matter of con-.

siderable difficulty, owing to the scarcity of light, and much time is wasted in conse quence.

My invention aims to overcome the objectionable feature-justreferred to by providinga feeder equipped with a guide leading into the opening therein, soas to permit the person about to use the telephone to dispose the check in proper position upon the guide prior to calling the operator, and to eject the check from the guide into the feederas soon as his number has been obtained. 5 I J I A structural embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

. Figure 1 is aperspective view of the improved feeder. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the check used in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of said feeder taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical View of the check used in the modified form.

As shown in said drawing, the feeder comprises essentially merely two parts, namely, the body 7 and the guide 8, this beingtrue for both forms of the invention.

Specification of- Letters Patent.

points, as will be understood.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

Application filed september 27, 1910. Serial No. 584,115.

other apparatus with which it is to be used and is in the form of a'solid metal casting having in its interior a downwarclly-in clined chute or runway 9 terminating at its lower end in an outlet or discharge slot 10. In one side of said body, there is formed an inlet opening 11 which is of the proper size to permit the insertion of the check 12 therethrough into the upper end of the chute 9; In order to facilitate such insertion, the

guide 8 is provided. This element comprises, in the present construction, a horizontal bar or rail 13, arranged centrally of the opening 11 and projecting a slight dis tance thereinto I at its inner end. It is formed with a flat depending flange 1& arranged longitudinally and terminating short of therail ends, said rail and flange being supported by a foot 15 formed integral with thelatter at the inner end thereof and with a lateral projection or boss 16 formed upon that wall of; the body through which the inlet opening 11 is out.

The check used with the feeder above described is in; the form of a circular disk be modified, if preferred,by pro iding a plurality of wardslocated atsuitable points, the check being notched at corresponding These wards, of which there may be any desired number, are preferably formed both on the flange faces and on the peripheral wall of the inlet opening, although they maybe omitted at either place. In the arrangement shown in'Fig. 5, two wards are employed, one on one of the flange faces, as indicated by the numeral 19, and the other, indicated by the numeral 20, on the wall of the opening. The check is formed with corresponding notches 21 and 22 cut, respectively, in the wall of its slot 19 and in its peripheral edge, there being, preferably, a counterpart pair of notches formed at each side of the the guide, as will be apparent. It is to be understood, however, that the duplex ar- "rangement of notches, while desirable, is

not strictly essential, since a single pair only may be employed, nor is it necessary that the notch in the edge of the check be upon the same side as the'notch' in the slot wall.

The peculiar construction of the guide and its projection into the inlet opening co- :operate to preclude the operation of the apparatus with any checks except those sold or issued in the prescribed inanner, this result being furthered by the formation of the ward or wards at the place or places above specified. i

In operation, the check is placed upon the guide and movedalmost to the end thereof.

before the telephone receiver is removed from the hook; when demand is made for thev'check, thelatter is vpushed through the inlet opening, whence it falls off from the guide into the chute, and then rolls out through the discharge slot 10 into the cash box, sounding the bell or other signal vin the usual manner. a

a I claim as my invention g 1. The combination with a slug receiving chute structure having an opening in one of itswalls through which a slug is adaptedto be inserted fiatwise, of a check-guide mounted exteriorly of the chute structure, and obstructing thesaid opening, and a check having a slot for receiving said guide and adapted to ride upon the latter while being digitally moved into said opening 2. The combination with a slug receiving chute structure'havlng an opening IILOIlG'Of.

its walls through which aslug is adapted to be inserted flatwise, of a check-guide mount-- ed exteriorly of the chute structure, and eX- tending into'the said opening, and a check having a slot for receiving said guide and adapted to ride upon the latter while being digitally inserted through said opening.

3. The combination with a slug receiving chute structure having an opening in one of.

its walls through which a slug is' adapted to be inserted flatwise, of a check-guide mounted exterlorly 'of the chute structure, and can tending into the said opening, and terminating at't-heinner end of the latter, and a check hav ng a slot for receivlng said guide and adapted to ride upon the latter while being digitally inserted through said opening and off said guide.

4. The combination with a chute having substantially parallel front and rear Walls and having an opening in the front wall Copies of this patent may be obtained for 5. The combinationwwi thereof for admitting a slug in a direction transverse to the face of, the slug, of, a guide extending-within the said opening transversely of the front wall of the chute; a slughaving a perforation adapted to coact with the said guide, enabling the slug to ride upon the said guide while being inserted through the opening; and a supporting member connecting the guide with the chute structure, the slug being slotted to straddle the said supporting member while being digitally inserted through the opening the said guide terminating rearwardly substantially flush with the forward surface of the bore of the chute, whereby the slug may drop into the bore of the chute through the spacebackof the'rearend of the said guide when digitally brought into registration with the said bore:

substantially parallel front and rear walls and having an opening'inits .front wall for admitting a slug with its face parallel to the front wall of the chute,'of a slugadapted to slide edgewise within said chute, the' said slug having a slot transversely 10f its faces; and-a slug-selecting guide extending within the said opening and extending 'forwardly of the said front wall from a plane substantially flush with the forward edge of the bore of the chute; the said guide coacting with thesaidslot inthe slug to hold the slug substantially in transverse alineth a chute having. t I

ment with the said opening until theslug registers with the bore of the chute. 6. The combination with'a chute having substantially parallel front and rear walls and having an opening in its front'wall for admitting a slug withits face parallel to the front wall of the chute, of a slug adapted to slide edgewise within said chute, the said slug having aslot transversely of its faces; and a slug-selecting guide extending within the said opening and-extending' forwardly of the front'wall from a plane substantially 1' 105 flush with theforward edge of the bore of the'chute; the said guide coactingi with the said slot in the slug. to hold the slug substantially in transverse alinement with the said opening while the slug is being digit-Y ally slid upon the guide until the slug registers with the boreof the chute.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my "hand in presence of two subscribing witfive cents each, by addressing the: Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

